Merlin Labs

Early integrations will focus on commercial cargo aircraft before expanding to other large models.

Merlin Labs completes preliminary design review for the integration of its autonomy system on the tactical and transport aircraft.

Company will lend its expertise to the military’s development of an autonomy government reference architecture.

Partners are targeting the Air Force’s Center Console Refresh program for the first integration of their combined system.

Groups are divided on whether technology designed to reduce or even eliminate crews will compromise safety.

Under a new contract, the company will develop an automated flight plan system that can be integrated across current and future tankers.

Autonomous flight developer says it will begin flying the converted Boeing 707s with Merlin Pilot, an AI-driven robotic flight system, in 2025.

Company says the first flights gathered data on how to design and fine-tune the robotic controls.

Company engineers observed pilots as they performed a variety of tasks, collecting data to identify where automation can be most helpful.

The manufacturer says the technology is designed to accelerate its path to supplemental type certification with regulators in the U.S. and New Zealand.